~Zodia's POV~
After waking up, I noticed Talcott was no longer in my room. 'He must've gotten up earlier and left without disturbing me,' I thought. Remembering the night before, my hand gravitates towards the zodiac charms around my wrist. I tapped a finger against the Scales of Judgement and called upon Libra.
The air surrounding him sent a chill down my spine. Just his appearance alone is intimidating. I bury my fear as he gave me a polite bow. "It is a tidal wave of relief to know you are well, Daughter."
"As am I, Libra. May I ask a few question?" My voice was soft and gentle, coaxing the zodiac to raise his head.
"Do not hold any question back."
"The one question that's been brewing in my mind since last night is: why did you leave the ruins?"
"The ruins I once resided in have been destroyed. I was once a wandering zodiac but now am at your side."
"So, once I have visited a zodiac, they no longer need the magic of the ruins to survive?"
"No. Once we are blessed with you presence, the charms we bestow upon you are our new vessels. That is how we are able to come to your aid when you call upon us."
"That's also how you were able to find me. You must've gone to one of the other zodiacs I have met."
"Indeed. I must also pass this information to you, Daughter. What befell you at the Disc was tragic, but our magical capabilities were able to heal internal wounds, not external."
"Thank you for aiding me, Libra. Without you and the others, Veniol would've siphoned me of my life."
Libra bows once again. "I am pleased to see the Daughter of the Zodiac has a kind soul and a beautiful heart. Please, I am at your disposal. Whether to aid you or your companions, do not hesitate to call upon my name. I will gladly follow you to hell if such danger arises."
"I'm glad to have you at my side, Libra."
"Goodbye, Daughter."
Libra vanishes into thin air, but I know he is back inside his charm. Now that I knew the truth behind the charms, I felt at ease to know they were much closer than I thought. I whispered a "thank you" to all four of the zodiacs who laid around my wrist.
When I entered the bathroom, the sight that greeted me in the mirror horrified me. My clothes were ripped and blood painted them like an eerie canvas. Dumping the clothes, I take a shower and deep clean every inch of my body. Red tinted the water as it poured down the drain. Once done, I head into the room with a towel around me to find an outfit. On the opposite bed, a beautiful outfit caught my eye. A white piece of paper was placed on top of the clothes. Picking it up, I read the note with a smile.
I bought this for you this morning. I know it will look amazing on you! Don't worry about your old clothes. We'll take care of those later.
-Iris-
"How sweet of her," I smile. I set the note down on the nightstand and examine the outfit more closely.
The beautiful fabric fits perfectly as I slide it on. I spun around in front of the mirror to get a better look on how it fit. My smile widens and I giggle. "I'm definitely going to thank Iris once I see her."
Before I opened the door, I remembered picking up a torn out page from the grimoire. I found my discarded clothes and found the page in the hidden pocket on the side of the dress. "Glad Veniol didn't take it. Now, let's go put you back where you belong."
Leaving my room, I was spotted by Gladio. He sent me a gentle smile before walking over. "Mornin', Princess."
"Good morning, Gladio. And please, don't call me that."
"Should I use the correct term?"
"No, don't you even dare call me Queen."
"I'm just messin' with ya. Glad to see you're back with us."
"Thanks. Glad to be back and away from that maniac."
Gladio placed a hand on my shoulder. "You should've seen Iggy. He looked worse than Noct. I thought he was gonna burn down entire buildings just to find you."
"Mm... Ignis doesn't strike me as a man who'd do such an extreme tactic."
"Trust me, he would've raised hell if Libra didn't show up."
I smiled up at the shield. "Too bad you didn't take a picture. It would be easier to believe." Gladio let out a deep chuckle as we reached the lobby. Not long after we meet up with Noctis, he pulls me into a tight hug. I rub my hands across his back, feeling his tense muscles relax. A sigh of relief leaves my brother's lips as he holds me close.
"How're you feeling?" He asked.
"Like new. I feel as if nothing ever happened."
Suddenly, another pair of arms wrap around me from behind. A glimpse of blonde hair was all I needed to know who it was. Trapped between my brother and friend, I began to giggle. "Hey, goofball."
"Can I hug you for the rest of the day?" Prompto asked.
"If you did that, how would you fight?"
"Ugh, good point."
The two boys release me from their warm arms. The only person who wasn't here was Ignis. Gladio must've picked up on my thoughts and smirked. "Iggy's at the outlook. He hardly slept last night."
"Thanks, Gladio. You know where I'll be," I beam. Turning on my heels, I made my way to the outlook. Due to Titan being gone, the outlook lost some of its charm. My eyes easily spotted Ignis with a can of ebony in his hand. His posture and the air around him brought worry to me. His emerald eyes seemed to be gazing off in the distance with sadness in them. Concerned, I slowly made my way over to him and placed a hand on his arm.
"Iggy?" I call his name softly. The sadness in his gaze washes away once my voice reaches him. A sudden wave of happiness drowns me and I wrap my arms around him. Since I was much shorter than him, I could only rest my head against his chest. I heard the clank of Ignis setting the can of ebony down before his warm arms encased me.
"I told you I'd crush you in a hug when we finished with Titan," I giggle. A deep chuckle resonated from Ignis as he moved one of his hands to the back of my head, cradling it against his chest. "My memory is substantial. I never omit any word you articulate." I smile, resting my hands on the back of his blazer.
We didn't separate from each other until our buoyant moment was ruined by none other than a cheery, blonde haired chocobo lover. "Cindy found the car!" He hollers. An annoyed sigh came from Ignis at the rude interruption. Not long after, all five of us were back together. Noctis was thinking of a plan when I took a step back. My small action caused all eyes to fall upon me. "I'm going to stay behind and try to cheer Talcott up some more."
"Glad you said that. You still need time to relax," Noctis said.
"Yeah, you're still a little pale," Prompto pointed out.
I placed my hands on my cheeks. "I feel amazing, though. It must be I'm still recovering on the inside from all the blood Veniol withdrew."
Ignis took a step towards me as if he just remembered something. "How is your illness?" I was appalled at the sudden question I hadn't heard in weeks. Removing my hands, they return to my sides. "I... haven't even thought about it. No symptoms have occurred since our battle with Deadeye."
"The marshal did say it would disappear as you visit the zodiacs and when you use your magic," Gladio said.
"That's a good thing... right?" Prompto seemed a little confused.
"Good? It's a great thing. That illness prevented her from ever leaving the Citadel," Noctis explained.
"And now, here I am," I beam. They all smiled back and sent me soft gazes. Gladio ruffled my hair and I pushed him away playfully.
After finishing their preparations, Noctis whistles for the chocobos. When I heard the familiar chirps, I turned to my left and saw Skye storming ahead of the other birds. When she collided into me, I reach out and wrap my arms around her neck to steady myself. She immediately nuzzled her sapphire feathers against my cheeks. I giggle and hug her lightly. "I missed you, too, Skye." She peeps gently in my ear, the soft vibration comforting.
"Sorry, girl. I won't be going with them today. But..." An idea suddenly hit me and I smiled widely. "How about we give Talcott a ride?" Skye jumps joyously and I take it as a "yes."
Before Ignis mounted his chocobo, I reached out and gingerly grabbed the edge of his blazer. Our eyes met and I pulled out the grimoire page. "Could you place this in the grimoire once you find it?"
"Of course, my dear." He accepts the page, folds it into two, and slips it into his pocket.
"Hopefully, it'll still be in the car," Prompto said.
"Be careful. Who knows what the empire stores at that base," I said, concern filling each word.
"You too, sis," Noctis replies.
I wave them farewell as they take off down the road. Skye, who was now cleaning her feathers, peeped lightly when she saw her brothers and sisters running off without her. I place a hand on her head and gaze into her eyes. "I'll be right back with Talcott. Be a good girl and stay here." Skye understood me completely and dipped her head in an "okay" motion.
I dash to the Leville and spotted the little boy with Iris. By the way he was hunched over, I could tell he was still heavily affected by Jared's passing. Taking light steps, I make my way over to him and place a hand on his head. At my sudden contact, the boy snapped his gaze up to me. "How about we take a small ride around Cleigne?" I smile down at him warmly. Talcott popped up and nodded while wiping his tears away.
"We'll be back soon, Iris," I said, taking Talcott's small hand within mine.
"Okay, be careful! I heard imperial airships are visiting more frequently," she warns.
"Oh! Thank you so much for this beautiful outfit. I'm definitely looking forward to our next shopping trip."
"So am I! Have fun!"
Back in the parking lot, Skye remained exactly where I had left her. Talcott eyes the bird with gleaming chocolate irises before petting her side. The chocobo must be slightly ticklish on her side because she chirps and jumps with closed eyes.
"I've never ridden a chocobo before," Talcott beams.
"You won't be alone. We're gonna ride around and visit Burbost Souvenir Emporium."
Talcott jumped with joy at my announcement. I help him onto Skye's back and hop on behind him. As Skye darted off, a surprised gasp escaped Talcott. The smile on his face grew as we got closer to the Emporium. It only took us around fifteen minutes to reach our destination.
With Talcott in my arms, I dismount Skye carefully. I set the young boy down, take his hand, and we walk into the small shop. When Talcott spotted a small wooden cactuar figurine, he dashed over and picked it up. He checked his pockets, but when he figured out he had no gil, his mood completely fell. I walk over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll get it for you." The beautiful gleam in his eyes returned as I took the figurine to pay for it.
The intricate designed cactuar only cost a thousand gil. Happily handing the amount over, I took the souvenir and gave it back to a smiling Talcott. He jumps and wraps his arms around me in a warm hug. "Thank you so much, Zodia!"
"You're very welcome, Talcott. Now, let's go ride around a little longer."
Our hands reconnected as we made our way back to Skye. Mounting the bird, we traveled down the road until I heard the sound of an engine. My eyes were drawn to the sky and saw an imperial airship. The hatch opens above our heads and I quickly maneuver Skye out of the way. We didn't make it far before a fleet of Magiteks surrounded us.
"Talcott, stay on Skye," I whisper. He nods without question and I hop off of the chocobo. Summoning my staff, I prepare myself for the battle ahead.